Drowning In Shallow Water

Bonus Chapter 2

The sky was a gloomy shade of gray for a week. It was painful to leave my pillow each morning but I salvaged moments in the warm library, nestling a hot beverage and immersed in a fictional world. The introvert in me loved it when the library was almost empty, the smell of damp paper in the air.

I had ventured into comics one Thursday morning and settled on a bench at the back of the library. I barely registered the sound of Ms Alley's heels approaching as I figured she was just arranging some books.

My book slipped out of my hand when she stood in the doorway, a towering figure casting a dark shadow across the room. His presence was overwhelming and demanded attention, making the frail librarian beside him seem insignificant.

"Nicola, this gentleman is here too see you," she said, a hint of excitement and anticipation in her voice. "He claims to be your boyfriend."

Oh.

WHAT?!

My eyes nearly grew out of their sockets, my breath catching in my throat. Edmund remained composed, his eyes taking in the small, fight room I was in. Ms Alley was giddy and fidgety, waiting for my confirmation so she could bother with the other ladies.

I groaned internally.

"I wasn't expecting you," i said to Edmund, his attention riveting back to me.

"I missed you," he stated flatly. "So I just came."

Ms Alley was having a field day, barely able to conceal her smile. She quickly left, saying something about giving us some privacy.

As Edmund walked further into the small space, it felt smaller. He sat beside me on the makeshift cot, his shoulders taking up the most space. He leaned forward and tilted his neck to avoid hitting is head. It was comical, making any frustration towards his presence disappear.

"Is this a game?" I questioned, watching his struggle to find comfort.

"What is?" He huffed out.

"Coming to my workplace unannounced."

I became aware of how close we were when he turned to me, his face less than an inch away from mine. While I was flustered, he was completely unbothered, his eyes scanning my face.

"I told you I'd missed you, didn't I?"

I looked away, distracting myself by tidying the books around me. I became aware of his unique scent overwhelming the smell of books and becoming my favourite scent in the world. It was unusual, but in a good way. It was a combination of the ocean wind and moss, with a subtle sweet undertone and a bit of tanginess.

"Do you work?" I asked him when there was some semblance of tidiness.

"I do."

"Where? What do you do?"

He frowned. "Thats hard to explain. Let's see... I'll start by answering the where part. I mostly reside in a pocket realm called the Veld. You know what a pocket realm is, right?"

"Ive read about it, I guess. You live there?"

The deep baritone of his voice lulled my body, making me lean into his side. I felt his hand slip to my waist, pulling me in. I excused it because of the crammed space, refusing to think it was for any other reason.

"I do. I only come down here when I have to. You see, I control shadows. Believe it or not, my role is necessary to maintain a balance between shadows and light," he explained.

I hummed. "So you're a master of shadows."

He shifted so my back was resting on his chest. His scent tickled my nose, almost making me sneeze. His body radiated warmth against the chill in the air.